The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, called on the military junta in Burma yesterday to resolve quickly and peacefully a six-day standoff with its leading critic, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Mr Annan said he was "increasingly concerned about the well-being of Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD), who have been denied freedom of movement near a small town on the outskirts of Yangon [Rangoon] since last Thursday."
Earlier in the day the regime accused Aung San Suu Kyi of sabotaging the nation's economy by urging foreign governments to impose sanctions and trade boycotts that hurt ordinary workers and their families.
"The people of Myanmar [Burma] realise that they are being used as sacrificial lambs by the NLD in stopping all forms of foreign assistance and aid to Myanmar," it said.
Aung San Suu Kyi and a dozen supporters were spending a sixth night last night camped out in their vehicles south of Rangoon after being halted on the road to Dallah as they attempted to travel to a party meeting. The NLD has insisted the party leader will stand her ground until the junta forces her to go home or lifts a ban which restricts her to the capital.
